


The Beauty and the Beast

by Phyren



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Anxiety, Bullying, Depression, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Promptis - Freeform, Romance, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:20:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phyren/pseuds/Phyren
Summary: Prompto is in his last year of college and has lived an ordinary life... To the outside world. He has a dark past and many secrets. During the middle of his senior year, Prince Noctis transfers into his class. He's shocked and in awe, but also annoyed by his slightly arrogant and lazy attitude. But once Noctis notices Prompto get bullied and saves him on several occasions, he decides to try and get closer to him. Noctis also tries to uncover the truth behind his anxious and withdrawn behavior.This story will follow Prompto and Noctis in college. This (of course) is a Prompto X Noctis fanfic.Might write a sequel of them after college, but that depends on the feedback I get. Also possible trigger warnings.





	1. The Transfer-student

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I joined this website just today after eagerly reading many people's stories! I decided to get an invitation and try post a few things myself.  
> Some stories will be cross-posted and some completely new. I hope you'll enjoy my story! I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors!
> 
> \- Phyren

Kicking away some stray leaves, Prompto made his way to college. It was Monday morning and apparently today they'd get a new transfer student. Which was odd, in the middle of the year. He sighed deeply, standing still in front of the gates that separated college from the outside world. Not that he minded college, he just wasn't fond of the people who teased him on a daily basis. He clutched his bandage, which hid one of his many secrets. He would make sure that nobody would ever find out.

Before he enrolled into college, Prompto lived with a rich family. They adopted him only because he was forced onto them, being one of the very few survivors after the war with Niflheim not too many years ago. He lived in a lab ever since he could remember, but had not much memory of what happened there. Every time he tried to recall about that time, he'd get terrible headaches. He did remember when the laboratory he stayed at, was blown up. He was in shock at that time and a Glaive had found him last second and saved him from his an early death. Or well- that's what he was told.

Prompto was completely neglected by his family members and treated as a butler. He was often slapped, punched or pushed against the wall if he had done something wrong. Luckily he was able to enroll into college and move into an apartment, funded by the Kingdom of Lucis. It was rare to be supported by the royals, but a man named Cor, had asked them to cover the cost he'd need to be able to get a diploma. Cor was among the Glaives that saved him back in the day.

Slowly opening the gates, he made his way into the building. Looking around anxiously to see if anyone was in already. He usually got in early to avoid the jocks who pestered him. He opened his locker at the end of the hall, taking out his math books. The air-conditioning was quite nice, considering the heat outside. His hair was blown in his face, but it didn't bother him too much. He tried to fix his hair while walking to his first period. Unfortunately he wasn't paying attention and got knocked against the wall.

"Hey! Watch where you- Hey look who we have here, hehe." A tall muscular guy said, kicking Prompto against the shin. The blond dropped his books in pain. He groaned, trying to pick them back up.

"Oi, I wasn't done talking! Get up you!" He grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "I've never liked that nonchalant look on your face. Mister 'I came from a rich family and I'm too good for you all.'" Prompto wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"What's going on here?" A stern voice asked behind him. It was prince Noctis. Prompto's eyes widened in disbelief and quickly looked away.

"Prince Noctis! I'm sorry, we- we were just playing. Right, Promp buddy?" Prompto faked a smile and was let go. The guy who had him held against the wall, bowed quickly and left to first period.

"What happened?" The Prince raised an eyebrow. Prompto shook his head.

"As he said, we were just playing." He shrugged and turned around.

The Prince rolled his eyes and grabbed his wrist to stop him from walking away.

"Oi, we both know that's not true-"

"I don't need your help." Prompto stated with an irritated voice, jerking his arm back, rubbing his wrist. Noctis raised an eyebrow.

"You okay man?" Prompto just huffed and walked away.

Noctis put his hands on his sides, watching the blond leave. He wasn't sure what just happened, but he probably got bullied more often. He tried to shrug it off and followed Prompto to advanced math class.

"Are you following me? What are you even doing in my college, a Prince like you? Shouldn't you have private teachers or tutors?" He didn't bat an eye and kept walking. When they both entered the designated classroom, the teacher was already there.

"Ah I see you made friends with our transfer student! I hope you can show around our Prince and help him with any difficulties in our class." Prompto jerked around.

"The Prince is our transfer student?!" He exclaimed, regaining his posture quickly after that. Noctis just shrugged behind him, yawning. He took a seat, the seat next to Prompto's.

The blond just sighed and sat down.

"I asked my father to transfer to an actual school. I want to make friends, I hate being stuck inside." He stretched and watched the classroom fill up with other students. As soon as they caught a glimpse of the Prince, they all gathered around his table. His genuine kind face suddenly turned annoyed and put up a fake smile. They all asked why he transferred in and if he enjoyed being royalty. The girls also tried to get his number. Prompto didn't exactly hear what he replied, but when Noctis shot him a glance, the blond just looked away.

"Seems like you found some friends." He mumbled just loud enough for the Prince to hear. He didn't pay much more attention to the rest of the class, the only thing he noticed, was Noctis struggling to stay awake. His yawns annoyed Prompto. He rested his head in his palms and stared outside.

"Spoiled and arrogant." He said under his breath.


	2. Bitter Feelings

Once the bell rang, Prompto quickly made his way to the entrance, where his locker was located. He hoped to not bump into His Highness and hurried down the stairs to locker number 23. He looked around to see if his bully was around. He only recently got to know his name. His father presumably owned a large company seeing as Omen was always bragging about his status and wealth in the hallways, trying to flirt with some girls and was never told off by the teachers. He hated him, but apparently not as much as he hated Prompto.

He sighed and closed his locker, only to meet eyes with the devil himself. Omen. He softly groaned and swiftly turned around to head home.

"Ah, if it isn't my best friend Prommy.' He grabbed the blond by his wrist and twisted it backwards, holding his arm against his back.

"I'd appreciate it if you left my classmates alone." Speak about the other devil. Noctis had his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

"P-prince Noctis." He immediately let go, which made Prompto drop onto the ground on his knees. He furiously rubbed his arm in agony. He not only twisted his wrist to the point it was not only bruised, but he could've sworn he felt something break. Once the pain had subsided and Omen had left the building, Noctis held out his hand.

"You okay dude? I swear he's got something against you." Prompto mouthed a 'tell me about it' but ignored his hand and stood back up.

"Listen, I know you sorta dislike me, but I swear I'm an ok dude." Prompto squinted.

"Why would you go to a normal school? You're the next king of Lucis! A-and I'm not even from Lucis, I-" Once he realised what he said, he looked at Noctis with widened eyes and straightened himself immediately.

"What I'm trying to say is... I don't understand why you're here. And helping me." Noctis knitted his brows together. He thought Prompto had gotten the hint by now.

"Listen, I may be the next king, but I still want to live a normal life - well, as much as I can and allowed to. Besides, you seem different from all the people here. You don't treat me like a Prince." He sighed and continued. "Plus, you don't seem very good at self-defense." He said this half-joking.

"I-I don't need help. I'm fine on my own. Besides why go to a college when your status will get you a free pass anyway." Prompto sighed and rubbed his arm again. Noctis noticed this and grabbed his arm.

"Dude back off!" He slapped away his hand and turned around. "Just leave me alone."

"We all want to be normal." Prompto whispered to himself, the prince heard this but decided to ignore it for now.

The rest of the day went relatively fast and quiet. Noctis hadn't really tried to get Prompto's attention and mostly slept during the remainder of the classes, though he occasionally peeked at the blond rubbing his arm. The area around his wristband seemed swollen and red.

After classes had finished for the day, both Noctis and Prompto went to the gates. As Prompto turned around the corner, Noctis decided to try once more.

"Uhm, so you never really told me your name." The blond stopped in his tracks and put his hand carefully in his pockets.

"Prompto. Prompto Argentum." He was about to walk off again when the dark haired guy stepped in front of him.

"Why don't you want to talk or even look me in the eye?" For a second he felt the need to click his tongue, but decided against it. "You should get your wrist checked." He seemed a lot less relaxed now, and more annoyed. Not by the fact the blond seemed to dislike him, but mostly why he wouldn't talk about what happened.

"I'm tired, I want to go home." His gaze shifted to his shoes. "And I'm fine. Don't need the Prince of Lucis worry about some plebe like me."

"Prompto, come on. Show me your wrist." He yanked his arm to his face and was about to pull down his wristband when Prompto freaked out and pushed him against the wall.

"Dude!" Noctis said, but his expression softened when he noticed him freaking out. During this time, the Prince's ride had arrived and a tall man with glasses hurried out of the car.

"Are you alright, your highness?" He was about to grab Prompto but Noctis shook his head. The blond was looking down, his breathing was off.

"I think he needs help." Noctis said, noticing the blond was shaking.

 _'They can't see. I won't let them see. If they find out, I'll be send straight to prison... Or maybe even worse.'_ Prompto thought as he tried to steady his breathing, but anxiety had washed over him. He'd always been told that if people found out about his secret, he'd be send to prison, tortured or banished. He was afraid, he wanted to be normal. His wristband was the only thing between them and his secret.

"Ignis, can you also drop him - Prompto off at my place?." The man with the glasses nodded and carefully walked him to his car. The blond just stared blankly ahead of him and let the driver open the door for him. He sat down in the backseat whilst Noctis took the empty spot next to him.

"I take it that your first day didn't go as planned?" The man said, still focused on the road as they drove off. Noctis just shrugged and kept an eye on the shaking blond.

"W-where are we going?" He finally managed to say.

"Relax, just to my apartment. Breathe Prom." His eyes glided down to his wrist again, which the blond had a firm grip on. "Prompto, look at me." He slowly looked up and faced him. "Please, show me what happened. I promise I won't hurt you." He hesitated but still held out his arm. Noctis decided to not touch his wristband as it seemed he didn't like that. At all.

"It doesn't seem broken, an ice pack will do." He smiled softly, a bit relieved he started to trust him.

 

 

Once arriving at the apartment, Prompto had calmed down and placed himself on Noctis' couch. Ignis started preparing dinner.

"So, your name is Prompto? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ignis Scientia. You're Noctis' first friend." Prompto raised an eyebrow. 'Friend?' He ignored what he said and nodded.

"Nice to meet you too... Eh, so, this doesn't seem like a 5 star hotel." He blond said, not thinking before he spoke. Noctis plopped down next to him and let out a breathy groan.

"It's what Prince Noctis wanted." The tall driver muttered in response. "Not precisely what King Regis had in mind - or suited for a royalty, but he wanted to live the college life like everyone else."

 

 

After they finished their meals, Prompto gave back the ice pack Ignis insisted him on using and walked to the door.

"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a lift? It's getting dark out." The tall man asked politely. Prompto shook his head. Noctis walked him to the door and leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed. He eyed him one last time, from head to toe, subtly laying eyes on his wristband.

"Well then, see you tomorrow at school, _friend._ " He grinned softly.

"Yeah, see ya." He wasn't sure if he was embarrassed, happy, sad or scared. He put his hands in his pocket again and made his way home. Did he really just say friend? Maybe the Prince wasn't such a spoiled brat after all... He seemed kinda nice.

He shook his head, he didn't want to think too much of it and wasn't planning on getting involved with the Prince. He wasn't fond of the possible consequences.

He sighed and entered his home. The lights were off and as usual, he was alone.

"I'm home." He sighed and closed the door behind him.


	3. Scared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning! Self-harm is mentioned in this chapter.

The following day seemed quieter than usual. Omen left Prompto alone and focused more on his homework. Apart from his occasional glare, he left him alone most of the day. He wasn't sure if Noctis had anything to do with it, but whenever he brought it up, the Prince shook his head and kept trying to convince Prompto he'd done nothing.

During lunchtime, Noctis had dragged him to the cafeteria to buy some cup a noodles. Prompto was far from hungry, but came along anyway. They had some small talk but ate the last 10 minutes of lunchbreak in silence.

Prompto wasn't sure what to believe. He seemed a different person than he had expected and he certainly didn't seem the person he was when he talked to other people at college. He was more at ease and genuinely seemed to enjoy Prompto's presence. He mentally shook his head, he was still afraid to become close to the Prince.

"-to, hey, Prompto? You listening?" Prompto jumped up, touching the back of his neck.

"E-eh yeah, sorry, what was that?" He asked hoping it wasn't too important. Noctis just sighed.

"Did you want to play the new God of War at mine later today?" The blond took a minute and finally replied.

"I-I can't, homework. M-maybe this weekend?" He mentally slapped himself by suggesting to hang out. Noctis' frown turned into a soft smile.

"Sounds great. Iggy will be making dinner again. I should probably start studying for too. The upcoming tests will be on our exams..." Prompto just nodded and gave him a smile back.

On his way to Science, he met up with Noctis again. They apparently had Science together. The Prince grinned and sat down next to Prompto, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Class ended after what felt like hours, Noctis had slept through it as usual and Prompto just played around with his camera. He hadn't taken any pictures for months now. He was just so busy with college, that he didn't go out of his way to go for a walk and photograph the scenery like he usually did.

The last bell of the day rang and they all made their way to the hallways. It was loud and busy, something Prompto hated. But the Prince walked behind him and watched him push himself through the crowd to get to his locker. He hated the location of his locker, it was always crowded around this time of the day.

"You sure you don't want to hang? You seem stressed out." The Prince said. The blond flinched, not expecting him to speak up.

"I'm fine, I just have a lot of homework to do." He replied, but Noctis didn't seem to buy it.

"I can help you with that, I may sleep a lot during class but I'm clever enough in many subjects." He faked Ignis' voice and accent. Prompto let out a chuckle.

"Well, I-I guess I could use some help?"

 

 

Ignis had arrived to pick them both up and drop them off at Prompto's. He pushed back his glasses and looked at the blond in his rear view mirror.

"You alright there, Prompto?" The blond said nothing, he just stared outside the window, debating whether or not he should cancel the night with Noctis. He wanted to back out, but the Prince seemed eager to hang out with him. It was probably because he was his first real friend.

"Take care, give me a call when I have to come pick you up." With that, the tall man left.

They dropped down onto the couch in Prompto's living room, both grabbing their assignments for tomorrow.

"So, where are your parents?" He asked innocently, tapping the table with his pen.

"Away, work probably." He answered a little too fast, with a hint of sadness as well as relief. Noctis decided to not ask any further and started scribbling in his notebook.

After two hours of studying and writing, Prompto's stomach started the growl. He was getting hungry, after all, it was 7 pm. His fridge though, was empty. There were a few cup a noodles in the cupboards, but most likely expired. He didn't have too much money, since his parents only send him money once a month, which was barely enough to survive. Except this month, he needed a new pair of shoes and a lens for his camera.

"Did you want to grab something to eat?" Noctis said, ready to get up.

"No it's fine, I eh, I'll order some pizza later." Noctis sighed. He'd have loved pizza, but he promised Ignis to eat a little healthier. He needed to 'build more muscle' or something. He got up and stretched and walked through Prompto's door to take a look in the kitchen.

"Noct, where are you going?" Panic rose within him as he slowly got on his feet. He went down the stairs and saw Noctis stand in his kitchen, going through his cupboards and fridge.

"Where is your food? Prom, what is this?" He crossed his arms, mostly showing concern on his face.

"I'm low on money, no biggie. My parents should be sending some more money soon-" Noctis interrupted him.

"Do your parents even live here, why did you lie?" Prompto bit his lip, totally forgetting about what he told him. He sighed and wiped his hair out of his face.

"No, I live alone. I have been for a while. My parents uhm, work far away." He scratched the back of his head.

"Okay, that's it. You're coming with me. We're going out to eat." Prompto's cheeks flushed red in response as he was embarrassed.

Noctis grabbed him by the arm which again, made Prompto flinch.

"Prompto?" He loosened his grip.

"I'm sorry, does it still hurt? Here, let me take a lo-" Prompto yanked his hand back, which had shifted the wristband slightly out of place. Noctis looked down and noticed red marks sticking out above it. He was about to ask Prompto about it when he held his wrist against his arm, shivering.

"You should leave." He closed his mouth as he kept eyeing the blond, but decided it was best to not provoke him.

He took his backpack and left the apartment. Walking down the stairs to the ground floor, several thoughts went through his head.

Maybe an accident? Did his bully do this? Was it an old scar? Did he fall?

The Prince groaned dialed Ignis number to come pick him up.

 

 

Only several minutes later, he'd arrived and opened the car door. He received an annoyed huff when doing so. With a soft 'clunk' the car doors closed and Ignis drove off.

"How was your night, Prince Noctis?" He huffed.

"Don't call me that dude." He replied with a moan. He stared out the window, slightly worried after what happened. He saw something he probably wasn't meant to see. Prompto had no food at his place and he lived by himself.

"So I take it that your night didn't go well?" He not once took his eyes off the road.

"I think he might be in trouble, Ignis."

"What kind of trouble, if I may ask?" Noctis rolled his eyes and threw his arms in the air. He wasn't even sure himself, what was going on with his friend.

"I don't know. It's just, he had _no_ food in his fridge, nor cupboards. He apparently lives by himself after lying that his parents were just 'working a lot.'" He crossed his arms again. "It also seems like he'd much rather avoid me than hang out with me. Did I do something wrong?"

Ignis shoved back his glasses. "He must have a reason for it. He seems like a genuine and kind young man. Don't try and pry into his life. Communication is key."

"That's what I've been _trying_ , but he doesn't really care to talk to me at all." He was worried about his first actual friend, well, he saw Prompto as his friends. He was not so sure if the feeling was mutual. The rest of the drive home, they remained silent.

Prompto shut his bedroom door, pacing around the room. He groaned and held onto his hair. He was slowly losing himself, afraid what the Prince might have seen. He was looking, he saw the marks. He hoped Noctis didn't think anything of it, but knew that was far from true.

He slid off his wristband, revealing thin lines across his wrist, covering a small part of the ink he was marked with. The tattoo still stood out, and seemed branded deep in his bones as it wouldn't fade. There were old and new scars. Most lines had faded a little, but still clearly visible. He didn't want to be different, he also, wanted to be normal. But he never would, even he knew that much. Awoken in a lab, half-human and half-MT for all he knew. Made to kill, made to destroy.

Noctis knew what MT's were, Insomnia had been at war with Niflheim for years. If he'd find out what Prompto was, his hope on a normal life would be tossed into a bin and set aflame. He's a filthy Niff, born yet not completely human.

He clawed at his wrist, re-opening old wounds, wanting to get rid of the ugly tattoo that defined him for the rest of his life. The barcode he didn't know the meaning of.

And he would.

He sighed and tried to collect himself.

It was time he'd find out about his past.

It was time to find out what actually happened to him and who he actually was.


	4. A History Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised that the word count goes up with each chapter I write! I hope you guys are still enjoying this :)  
> Feel free to point out mistakes or what you'd like to see next. Maybe I'll take some good suggestions into account.

The next day was just like any other day, except Noctis had barely tried to make conversation. He half avoided Prompto. After his outburst from yesterday, he wasn't surprised. The blond took his usual seat in the back of the classroom, taking out his English books. He sat back, staring at the teacher who had just walked in. His eyes averted to the lazy lump beside him, the Prince. He didn't even look up, he looked just like the spoilt brat he thought he was. With a sigh, he focused back on the blackboard. Copying the teacher's words she just wrote down.

"Prompto?" Noctis shook him out of his thoughts. He looked at him questionably.

"What is it?" Noctis sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"You know, I want to be your friend. I totally understand if you don't like me, I mean, ehh. I just like hanging out with you, playing games. A-and what I'm trying to say is. You can always talk to me if you need. I'll listen. I'm here, that's what friends are for." He gave Prompto a reassuring smile. The blond looked away for a bit, hit by the kind words of the Prince. He nodded in return, he was at a loss for words.

"Actually, maybe you _can_ help me." Noctis smiled and looked at the blackboard. Maybe he should write down his homework for Monday.

 

 

The bell rang and college was over for the day. Prompto waited outside, leaning against the bike shed in the back. He heard some shuffling behind him and turned around to greet Noctis, except it wasn't him. It was Omen and two of his basketball buddies - as he called them.

"What do you want?" He tried to sound nonchalant, which seemed to work.

"Where's your best pal? I can't believe he'd be friends with a Niff." Prompto flinched. Did he _know_ he was a Niff? He gulped.

"A Niff?" He said in response, hoping to get some information out of them.

"You might as well be one." He crossed his arms and continued. "You live home alone, presumably haven't seen your parents in a while, maybe you're just an orphan?" He chuckled. Prompto took a step back, they didn't seem to know he actually was from Niflheim.

Omen grabbed him by the throat and held him against the wall. Prompto choked back a sob in pain and tried to look him in the eye.

"You don't belong here, Argentum. You should leave Insomnia altogether before I _make_ you leave." He scoffed and let the blond drop to the ground. He kicked him in the side, nodding to his friends to join in. One of them grabbed him by the arm and smacked his back against the wall, the other kneed him in the stomach. He let out a loud growl in pain, but Omen put a hand on his mouth to shush him.

"We wouldn't want anyone to _hear_ you, right?" Prompto teared up, frightened.

Omen yanked back his hand only to punch him in the face. His cheek swelled up instantly, turning deep red. Prompto started dry-heaving a little.

"Why do you hate me, what the hell do you even want from me?"

"You're not the smartest are you? Want me to explain it to you?" He started and told his two friends to hold him against the wall, both grabbing one of Prompto's arms.

"Your father was part of the Crownsguard, a while ago, obviously. Now we all know, that isn't - or wasn't your real father. They adopted you after some accident or whatever. Your father was friends with my father, who also served the king. Now, they both fought among the Glaives, against Niflheim, several years ago. When Niflheim send out non-human... _Beasts_  to fight off the Glaives, my father was attacked. Everyone left him behind when he got infected. Didn't bother saving him. Nobody including _your_ father. _My_ father saved his ass many times, yet he left mine to die." Prompto gulped. Was his father among the Glaives that saved him?

"There was a lab where they experimented on young kids, training them to become MT's - or whatever and fight in the war against Lucis." He huffed, kicking him in the shin. The blond cried out in agony.

"Apparently most of the kids turned into monstrosities, and couldn't be saved. One kid survived, but we never heard anything about him ever since." Thus concluded his story, gritting his teeth. He seemed to be suffering on the inside, but took it all out on the blond.

"Your father killed mine, like all the other Glaives. If there'd be another war, nobody here would survive." He spit on the ground in front of the blond and grabbed him by the shirt, motioning for the other guys to let go of him.

Prompto tried to pull away, but Omen was stronger and yanked him back, ripping his tee apart in the progress. Omen laughed at him, seeing a fragile guy shivering on the ground. His side was bruised. He rolled over to get back on his knees when Omen put his foot on his back.

"Nice scars on your back, maybe some... family issues?" He burst out laughing and waved his hand in the air. The three of them turned around chuckling, leaving Prompto's sight shortly after.

He heard a muffled voice in the background shouting. He couldn't hear who it was, he just lied there on the grass. Covering his head, his ears ringing. His sobs were silent. He winced with every small move he made.

" _Prompto? -to! Pr... TO!_ " His vision was blurry and his breathing slow. His heart rate seemed to be at the speed of light. The last thing he remembered was someone touching his shoulder, but he didn't respond to that; he sobbed quietly, not wanting to be seen in his current state.

 

 

Noctis had left the building after having to stay for detention. He hated detention, but he didn't want to be treated any different from the other students. He fell asleep in class once again and this time his teacher was clearly fed up with the lack of attention and sent him to the principles office. They weren't entirely wrong, but he'd hoped they would let it slip this time.

With a groan he pushed open the front door and looked around. No Prompto to be seen yet. He passed a few late students who most likely stayed back to do some homework. He heard a few of them whisper as Noctis passed them. Their eyes on him, seemingly talking about him. Normally he didn't care, but when he heard Prompto's name, he swiftly turned around looked one of the girls straight in the eye.

"Did you just say Prompto?" The girl squealed, not sure how to act around the Prince of Lucis. She awkwardly bowed and said she overheard that one of the guys of the basketball team wanted to wait Prompto up after class. They seemed to know the blond was waiting there  for Noctis at the bike shed. They indeed waited him up after school, like a classic school-bully act.

Noctis thanked them and made haste around the back of the school. He noticed the shed in the distance. His heart beat faster with every step he took. The Prince had a very bad feeling about this all, hoping he was wrong this time. He gulped and shuffled closer, but slower this time.

"Prompto! Prompto!" He repeatedly shouted as he got closer to the rundown shed. It was old, but still standing. Noctis hoped to hear him in the distance, telling him off for being so late - groaning something about being a lazy brat.

He noticed something shifting in the distance. Noctis walked around and saw a figure curled up in the grass.

"Oh Astrals, Prompto! What happened?" But by the time he said his name, the blond seemed knocked out cold. He took his wrist to feel his pulse, he was careful to not touch his injury.

His pulse was weak and his body was covered in bruises. His side was bloody and bruised and his back had scars here and there. They looked rather old, not the doing of the guys. His heart was beating in his throat now, his hands shaking. Noctis was concerned for the blond and decided to ask his adviser for help.

The Prince took out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. Ignis'.

 

 

He sat by Prompto's side, trying to wake him up, whilst Ignis came elegantly running from the parking spot.

Nobody really came to this side of the school, only the first years to park their bikes, but they'd already gone home. Ignis pushed back his glasses and took a hard look at his fragile body. He was shivering and unconscious. A little underweight, but not the worst thing to worry about at that moment. His face swollen and red and his body bruised and scarred. A single tear left Prompto's eye as he was lifted up by the driver and carried to his car.

They drove off towards the hospital, when Prompto woke up.

"W-where am I? Where are we going?" He managed to say with a hoarse voice.

"The hospital, you're severely injured. It could be critical if we don't act soon." He didn't take his eyes off the road. Prompto coughed heavily, blood dripping from his mouth. He cried in agony as his coughing had just made the pain in his abdomen worse. He had a few broken ribs, he could tell. The blond looked up, seeing Noctis face crunched up in concern, his hand behind Prompto's head for support. His other hand covered the blond's right hand. The blond blushed a little at the sight of their hands together. His hand was warm and soft. But soon that thought faded as he realised what Ignis said. The hospital.

He was scared to go to hospitals, he didn't want anyone to see his tattoo.

"I-I don't want to go there. I can't. T-they can't... Know." He started shaking, crying. Noctis looked down at his crying friend, but smiled softly at him.

"We're taking you to our private hospital, you'll be in safe hands. I promise." Prompto choked back a sob, feeling vulnerable being topless. But the Prince didn't stare at him, he looked away, respecting his silent wish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to make little Prompto suffer :(  
> Am I really sorry? Nah.  
> On our way to some fluff!


	5. A New Friend

_'For you are my favourite experiment. You're doing quite well. Your body is taking all of my injections, splendid! You'll grow up a fine young killer.' A charming voice said, shaking the hand of an older man next to him._

_'Many children did not survive my tests, but this young boy surely seems like a perfect candidate.' The older man said, typing some words onto a screen. The screen was attached to a large machine, operating on certain kids, lying lifelessly on the tables in front of him._

_'I wonder what kind of superhuman powers he'll get.' The older man said again, now looking at the man with the charming voice. Said man took off his hat and bit the man farewell. He was walking towards me, grinning as he slid his finger down my paralyzed body. I couldn't move, nor talk. I could only see and feel. The pain was getting too much, it felt my body would shut down._

_'You will make a pretty strong soldier, my boy. Now we should probably brand you as one of ours, so we cannot ever lose sight of you.' He cackled and motioned an MT our way. The MT had a tiny machine in his hand, which was adjustable. It had numbers, letters, lines, the whole lot. He placed it on my wrist, making me scream in agony. My wrist started bleeding, I had no clue what was going on. Why they were doing this. I was losing my mind. I was hungry, thirsty, sad, tired._

_They'd let go off me and placed me back in my cell, with a single bowl of rice._

_'I hope your ready for your last set of injections tomorrow. Then we'll move onto the real training.' The man with the hat turned around laughing, disappearing into a cloud of blue shimmer. I had no idea who that was, but I knew tomorrow would be another day in hell._

 

 

He woke up screaming, sitting up, anxiously looking around. Wondering where he was. His head felt like it was on the edge of self-destruction. He placed his hands over his ears, yelling. He still heard the voices in his head.

"MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP!" He cried out. The door swung open and Noctis had ran to his side.

"Prompto! Are you okay? What happened? You should take it easy!" He gently placed his hand on the blond's shoulder and tilted his head a little. He was concerned for his friend. Did he have a nightmare?

"I-I, I don't- I can't. The voices. I remembered. Bits and pieces. I-I." Noctis grabbed his hands and looked him in the eyes.

" _Breathe_ Prompto, please. Calm down and breathe with me." His panic slowly subsided as he lied back down.

"Noctis, I-I just remembered something from my past. I can't tell you, but- things happened. I'm so scared." The Prince opened his mouth, wanting to ask about his life, he genuinely wanted to know. His friend was suffering but wouldn't talk about it. It pained him, but he decided if Prompto wanted to talk about it, he could. So he closed his mouth again without saying a word and looked down.

"Whatever it is, I won't leave your side. I'm here for you. Your past doesn't define who you are now." His words hit him right in the heart. He looked down at his body. He was covered in bandages and had several stitches. Noctis gulped, scared to speak his mind and ask him about his injuries. Ignis told him not to pry in his personal life, but this sounded like an innocent question... In his head.

"This might be... Not the right time to ask, but these... Marks on your body. Where did you get those?" He shifted a bit to the side and averted his gaze. Afraid to suffocate the blond with his presence.

"It's complicated. I eh... When I was young, my parents adopted me after a huge incident. They looked after me... Until I got older, wiser. They looked me less in the eye, barely talked to me... often punishing me for my mistakes. I mostly deserved that. I mean, I had no idea what parents were supposed to be like. It seemed and still seems normal in my eyes. When I turned 16, Cor came to visit one day and also noticed bruises on my body, he straight away had me taken away." Waiting for a comment from Noctis that never came, he decided to continue his story. "He uhm, well Cor mostly provided for my apartment and my college. I enrolled on the day I turned 16 and never heard from my parents again. A-according to Omen, they're in Altissia now. But that's all I know." Noctis' eyes were blurry from the tears that welled up. He held Prompto's hands and looked down.

"I'm so sorry... I- I didn't know. I mean, I-"

"Dude, it's okay. There's more than that, but I can't talk about that." He smiled softly, sweat covering his forehead. He was in extreme pain, but didn't want to bother Noctis with that.

Unfortunately for him, the Prince noticed and dipped the cloth on his bedside table, in the bowl of water. He carefully placed it on Prompto's forehead who closed his eyes in relief. When Noctis was about to exit the room to give Prompto some space, the blond opened his mouth, blinking away his upcoming tears. He kinda missed Noctis' warm hands. He felt safe. He again, mentally slapped himself for even thinking like that.

"C-could you-" he started, which made the Prince turn around. "...Stay with me? I don't want to be alone." Noctis put his arms behind his head and smiled widely at him.

"Sure." He walked back and moved Prompto's blankets aside so he could join in. The blond turned bright red and flinched. Luckily the hospital beds were big enough.

"Is this okay buddy? Does this mean we're friends now and that you hate me a little less?" Prompto's eyes started to water and he choked back a sob. A friend. Noctis. The one person he tried so hard to avoid, but couldn't help to feel somehow attracted to. The warmth of his body making him feel at ease, at home. Even if he didn't exactly had a home, he now felt he had one.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry! I swear!" He wiped Prompto's tears and placed his head against his chest. Though he tried to be careful with the wounds he had. "I'm not leaving, it's okay. Tomorrow we'll go pick up your things and you'll be staying with me from now on." Prompto's head jerked up, looking at the Prince in awe. His deep blue eyes staring into his soul, which make Noctis' heart skip a beat. Did he really just feel that?

"Only two weeks left of college. After our graduation, I'll find out a place for you to stay. We can spend more time together okay?" He grinned. Prompto nodded and closed his eyes. He soon drifted off to sleep, in the arms of the Prince. This time no flashback, but a normal dream.

A dream where he was playing games with his new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little less words this chapter, in the future I'll try make longer chapters for you guys :).
> 
> I wrote these five chapters within a week's time I think? I'm hoping to spend more of my days off writing, if people enjoy my stories of course.  
> Any feedback is appreciated :)  
> Get ready for more angst and fluff!


	6. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry it took so long to update, I've been very busy with work :(  
> Now that I work a lot less next week, I'll have time to write a little more.  
> Hopefully I won't have a writer's block ;-; anyway, without further ado, have fun!
> 
> Also: Trigger warning.  
> Self-harm in this chapter.

A couple of days later, Prompto was allowed to leave the hospital. He missed several days of school, but Noctis wrote down the assignments in his notebook and stopped by Prompto every day. Prompto would've laughed at his sad attempt on helping him with homework, which only made Ignis shake his head in embarrassment. The Prince sucked at doing homework. And studying. Yet his grades were higher than you'd think of someone who was this sloppy. Though the blond still appreciated his help nonetheless, since he couldn't leave the hospital bed. 

Ignis had driven them to Prompto's place, helped him pack his clothes and other things that Ignis thought he'd consider valuable. Although to his surprise, Prompto didn't own much. He wasn't sad, he was quite content with what he had. Four t-shirts, one hoodie, two pair of jeans and one pair of shoes. Prompto looked at his room once more, before permanently locking the doors. Ignis had told him that Noctis' dad would take care of the rest and that he needn't worry. 

After a few minutes driving, Prompto still hadn't been talking. Not even small talk, even though he'd always been the social type. The bubbly blond who had gone through a lot, now seemed like the latest events had completely shattered him. Noctis wasn't sure if he'd see him smile anytime soon. He liked his smile, it was warm and genuine from what he remembered. With a sigh, the Prince put his hand on Prompto's leg. He jerked up and looked him in the eye, wanting to say something but not knowing which words to use. He was scared, in a lot of mental pain. Everything got a little too much for him. Prompto averted his eyes to the window again, subconsciously scratching his covered wrist. It had been a while he felt real withdrawals. His anxiety was catching up to him and Noctis could feel that tension. 

 

 

Once they arrived at Noctis' apartment, Ignis guided him to the living room and sat him on the couch telling him to rest. He and Noctis unpacked his things while Prompto tried to make himself comfortable. He started to feel a little better now that he knew Noctis meant no harm. He was also wanting to speak to him alone and ask about the lab incident years back, maybe he knew more about it. He still didn't want him to know his secret, so he'd approach him with caution.

 

Ignis bid them farewell after cleaning the dishes and packing the leftovers from dinner. Ignis was a kind man, Prompto decided. He sighed and looked down at his shaky hands. Noctis walked out of the bedroom, handing the blond a blanket. 

"I don't want you to be cold. Did you maybe want to watch a movie?" Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, gazing away from the blond as he awaited his response. 

"Y-yeah, I'd like that." His voice sounded a little empty, sad. He was now shivering. 

They decided to watch the Assassin's Creed movie as they were a fan of the games. For the first time in a while, he heard Prompto laugh - well more like a silent snicker, but he decided it counted. It warmed Noctis' heart a little. 

 

The movie had ended and Noctis switched channels. He walked to the kitchen, warming up some chocolate milk for his new friend, hoping it'd warm him up a little. Without thinking, Noctis had turned on the news and absently listened to it while Prompto had whipped out his phone.  '0 messages' it read, which was no surprise to the blond. Nobody even knew his number beside his parents, who he hadn't contacted in forever. With a sigh, he opened King's Knight and focused on his screen. 

 _'While I'm obviously happy about the truce between Niflheim and Insomnia, I can't help to think what can still happen.'_ A voice on TV said, which got Prompto's attention. With King's Knight still running on his phone, his eyes were now glued to the screen in front of him. 'Niflheim,' he thought and gulped.

 _'As we heard from the counselor, Niflheim is building an army in secret and there's rumors going around they're looking for something that supposedly Insomnia stole from them.'_ The person held out their microphone for the red haired man that just appeared on screen. Prompto squeezed his eyes, trying to remember where he knew that man from. 

 _'More like, someone was stolen. Niflheim wants them back and won't stop until they've recovered them.'_ The red haired man removed the hat and placed it against his chest and, as if on cue, he looked straight in the camera. It almost seemed like he had seen Prompto through the screen. Prompto dropped his phone, gasping. He remembered the man, he was in his dream - or nightmare... Or did that really happen? He had just forgotten about it, until the man resurfaced. Noctis peeked around the corner after hearing something drop, seeing a shivering Prompto watching the TV. Noctis had heard what was on the news, but wasn't paying too close attention to it. 

"Prom?" He softly said. When the blond didn't reply, he left the kitchen and placed a hand on his shoulder. Prompto jumped up, screaming. He hugged himself as if he tried to defend himself against a blow. The Prince knitted his brows together, unable to understand the situation. He tried to take a step closer to his shivering friend, but he took a step back with each step Noctis took. 

Before Noctis could say anything, the blond ran to the bathroom and locked the door. The Prince didn't know what was going on, but he had a feeling the news had shaken him in a way. He knocked on the door, hoping for an answer from the taller friend, but to no avail. He sighed and turned his attention to the news channel, he re-winded the 8 o' clock news and listened carefully what had been said. He then realised something, it all fit together. 

He went over the things that Prompto had said over the past two weeks and it just clicked. 

_'Noctis, I-I just remembered something from my past. I can't tell you, but- things happened. I'm so scared.'_

_'It's complicated. I eh... When I was young, my parents adopted me after a huge incident.'_

_'There's more than that, but I can't talk about that.'_

Prompto was linked to that Niflheim incident years ago. He covered his mouth, tasting the bile in the back of his throat. He felt his stomach drop as he realised it had hit Prompto. Without a second thought, he banged on the bathroom door.

"Prompto open up! Please! L-let me in. I know... You were somehow involved with Niflheim years back... Please, let me in and talk to me." He held back his sobs as he kept banging on the door. It was silent. Not even a word. Noctis closed his eyes and sunk to his knees, recalling an event that happened days ago. 

 

 

_Noctis grabbed him by the arm which, again, made Prompto flinch._

_"Prompto?" He loosened his grip._

_"I'm sorry, does it still hurt? Here, let me take a lo-" Prompto yanked his hand back, which had shifted the wristband slightly out of place. Noctis looked down and noticed red marks sticking out above it. He was about to ask Prompto about it when he held his wrist against his arm, shivering._

_"You should leave." He closed his mouth as he kept eyeing the blond, but decided it was best to not provoke him._

_He took his backpack and left the apartment. Walking down the stairs to the ground floor, several thoughts went through his head._

_Maybe an accident? Did his bully do this? Was it an old scar? Did he fall?_

 

 

The Prince started breathing heavily, anxiety and fear washed over him. Prompto's wrist... Did he do that to himself? He dreaded the moment the door would open, not knowing what he'd find. With a sigh, he took a large step back to take one big leap, crashing into the door. The handle broke with his strength and the door slowly creaked open. He looked down to the floor, gliding his eyes further towards the shower. A quiet dripping sound in the distance, he was afraid to look ahead. Noctis gulped hard, opening the door further with his shaking hands. The white floor coloured redder the more his eyes glided across the the bathroom. Once his gaze fell on Prompto, he fell to his knees. A sight he wouldn't wish his worst enemies. His friend, covered in blood, sat blank-eyed against the wall. Knife in his hand, wiggling the sharp tip of the blade into his wrist, as if he tried to to pick the grates out of a fish. His expression was blank and tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. With each prick and movement, more blood ran down his wrist. The delicately red liquid seemed to have Prompto in its grip. 

Noctis hurriedly slid across the floor towards Prompto, not caring about his jeans getting dirty. He yanked the blade out of his hand and threw it across the bathroom. Prompto was in trance, still repeating the same motions as if he was still holding that knife. He put his hands on the blond's shoulders, trying to shake him out of it. He then heard the words his friend kept repeating.

"Filthy Niff. Worthless Niff. Die." Noctis was now trying to swallow back his tears as he wrapped his arms around his blond friend. Slowly Prompto's words turned into gibberish and eventually he stopped talking and moving. 

"Noctis." He simply said, as if awakening from a deep sleep.

"Talk to me please." He tried to be strong for his friend, he knew whatever had happened to Prompto, it had broken him completely. 

"Noct... I'm a Niff. I am the person they're looking for." He burst out crying after the Prince snapped him out of his trance. Noctis dropped his arms. He wasn't sure what to do or say. He looked the blond in the eyes and covered his mouth. It made Prompto look away in shame. The ten minutes they sat in silence, felt like an eternity. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun.  
> The chapter was actually supposed to be longer, but I had to break it in two. While I've posted this part, I decided to revise the other half of the chapter, since I don't have any beta readers haha (woops).
> 
> You can also put in requests or just simply send me messages if you would like to, on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Phyxren) or my [Tumblr](http://phyxren.tumblr.com/). Always happy to talk to people :)


	7. Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, it's been... Months. I'm truly sorry! I've been caught up in events - mostly my visa for Australia that got accepted! I'm moving in with my boyfriend in 4 months. Ahem, yes so, without any more delays (for now), here's the new chapter!

Noctis let Prompto go and fell back on his behind. With his hands in his hair, recalling what Prompto had just told him.  _'A Niff? Is he serious - No, he can't be. I mean the pieces fit together, but...'_

"Noct, are you home by any chance?" A voice with a strong accent was heard from behind the front door. It woke him from his trance and he looked over to the blond, who stared without any emotion in his eyes, to the ground. 

"E-eh yeah, just a sec." He'd replied, hoping Ignis would wait ever so patiently until he'd open the door. Which was normally the case, but today Ignis had walked in and locked the door behind him. A panicking Prince appeared from the bathroom, with trembling lips and a sweaty forehead. 

"What on Eos is going on?"

"It's Prom... We need potions." Ignis straight away fished one of the elixirs out of his pocket and followed the shorter man to the bathroom. Once the adviser laid eyes on the bloody floors before his gaze even hit the poor guy, his lips formed a thin line. He was shocked and couldn't find the words. But instead of standing there, he barged in and cracked a potion over his arm. It made the bleeding stop, but the wounds were pretty much still there. They were deep, but not deep enough to kill him. It'd have to do for now. Ignis sighed and took a knee beside the shivering blond. 

"Ignis, I'm a Niff. You might as well just get me executed right here. I don't belong here, I could be a danger to Noct!" He stated with a trembling lower lip. With watery eyes, he placed his hand over his wrist. The bracelet no longer covering his ink. 

"I don't quite see how  _you_ could be a danger to Prince Noctis. Although I quite like to know how you got the markings that only MT's have. Perhaps the chancellor has something to do with all this." He adjusted his glasses and held out his hand. "Can you stand?" Prompto blinked several times before touching his hand, he had no strength to actually grab a hold of it. With a quiet sigh, the adviser lifted the blond off the cold ground and laid him down on the sofa in the living room.

"A-aren't you going to call the authorities? Kill me? Aren't... you mad?" He was stunned that Ignis didn't even try to hurt him - quite the opposite, he handled him gently like he was a porcelain doll. Noctis' heart was pounding so loud, he swore the whole kingdom could hear it. His first and only friend was a Niff, being sought for by Ardyn. He knew Niflheim was up to no good, especially Ardyn. He couldn't let Prompto fall into his hands. He wasn't an MT, he wouldn't kill him... Right?

"While I am quite shocked - even a little disappointed you kept this all a secret, although fair, I wouldn't 'execute' you, Prompto. Do you know who gave this tattoo and what it means?" He tried to regulate his heartbeat while covering it up with a cough. He had the feeling Prompto wouldn't mean any harm.

"I- I remember I woke up in a lab one day. I... got injections, I don't remember why or what it was. Though it's b-been years. I remember the man from tv. The eh, chancellor. He was there in my dreams - nightmares." The blond's voice was ragged and high pitched. He lost quite a bit of blood. Noctis paced around the room, scared. They couldn't go to the hospital with the wounds he had, due to his marking that was visible through them. 

"Maybe we need to have a talk with Ardyn himself," the Prince said, finally standing still. His head seemed to have cleared up a bit. He also, wanted to know what Ardyn wanted from Prompto, and why he was marked and remembers a lab. Was he Ardyn's experiment? But why? He didn't seem to be a daemon, or a Magitek. He was a human, completely made out of flesh and bones. He shook his head and scratched his chin, still thinking of a solution.

Ignis also seemed deep in thought before he pushed back his glasses and looked between the two. "Perhaps... But we need to be cautious. We don't know what Izunia is up to. Although a meeting can be arranged. I shall message Aranea." Noctis raised an eyebrow, confused hearing an unknown name.

"Who? Is she your friend, does she know Ardyn?" Ignis coughed, it was about time he told them.

"She- is a friend you could say. She works for Ardyn, but in secret; She wants to keep innocent civilians safe. We've known each other for a bit, message back and forth. She visited Lucis many times before joining his army." The shorter man groaned and threw his arms in the air as if to say 'okay whatever.' Ignis whipped out his phone and send a message. Almost instantly he had a reply.

_'Are you sure that's a good idea? I'm not responsible for the consequences._  
We both know he isn't a sweetheart.   
But if you insist. Make sure you're well equipped, as I can't guarantee safely, got it?'  


"As it stands, we'll be driving out tomorrow morning. I'll make sure we are equipped with weapons and elixirs, just in case. This won't be a walk in the park, Noct." He just nodded and turned to face his blond friend, who just stared at him anxiously. The Prince bent over and wrapped his arms around him, Prompto blushed different shades of red. For a second not sure what to do, he leaned into his touch, listening to the Prince's heartbeat. It was faster than normal.

"I'll keep you safe," he whispered and dug his face in the blond's hair, letting out the tears he tried so hard to keep from falling. "You're my friend, even if we met not too long ago. I don't want to see you hurt anymore. You're with us now and we'll help you find out about your past." Prompto sighed deeply, feeling a little more relaxed. He closed his eyes, taking in all the warmth his friend was offering.

"Thank you," was all he said before exhaustion washed over him once again and fell into a deep sleep.

_Nightmares sweeping him away - or were they flashbacks? It was all the same. In his dreams he was in a lab, bound to a table having injections dug in his arms. His veins turning black, crawling its way to his head._

He knew something bad had happened in that lab and he was about to find out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I made it a little shorter than normal. I'll be making the next one longer! Hopefully before new years too (although it'll be a very busy period).  
> Thank you for the kudos ^*^


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